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vrijdag 10 augustus 2012

FX has placed a 13-episode order for the 1980s-set spy drama "The Americans," starring Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich.

Created by executive producer and showrunner Joe Weisberg, the series is executive produced by "Justified" creator Graham Yost, Justin Favley and Darryl Frank. Gavin O'Connor directed the pilot.

The series is set to premiere early next year. FX president John Landgraf has said he plans to add two more dramas in the coming months; "The Americans" is the first.

The series follows married KGB spies posing as Americans in suburban Washington soon after President Reagan's election. Phillip (Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Russell) have two children oblivious to their parents' jobs or the fact that their marriage was arranged. It is tested by the Cold War and their relationships with a network of spies and informants. Phillip, meanwhile, is becoming more enamored of American life.

“We’re proud to welcome 'The Americans,' a taut series that crackles with incredible performances rooted in character perspectives never explored on a U.S. television series, to FX’s line up of quality dramas,” said Landgraf. “We’re equally excited to welcome Graham Yost’s talented young Padawan Joe Weisberg as creator/showrunner. He joins a long line of gifted writer/producers who have taken their first shot at greatness on FX.”

The show marks Keri Russell’s first leading role in series television since "Felicity." Rhys most recently starred as Kevin Walker in the ABC drama series "Brothers and Sisters." Emmerich, who plays the KGB couple's FBI agent neighbor, has appeared in "Miracle" and "Warrior," both directed by O’Connor.

Weisberg previously worked for the CIA and went on to become an author. He was also a writer on TNT’s "Falling Skies."

The Torchwood actor will appear in the HBO fantasy drama's third season, according to WinterIsComing.

Gorman played Owen Harper on Torchwood between 2006 and 2008 and has since appeared in The Dark Knight Rises and BBC drama The Hour.

Submarine actor Noah Taylor is also said to have joined Game of Thrones. The 42-year-old is known for his roles in such films as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its sequel, Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Almost Famous.

Both actors are believed to be filming in Belfast, alongside Game of Thrones stars John Bradley (Samwell Tarly) and James Cosmo (Jeor Mormont).

The long-gestating project was recently delayed again, with star Kiefer Sutherland claiming that shooting could be pushed back to 2013.

"Things went quiet in a way that I thought didn't bode well for that [movie]," Gordon - an exec producer on the original show - said. "But there's been some stirrings again, just recently."

The Homeland exec added that "everyone is still gunning" to bring the adventures of Jack Bauer (Sutherland) to the big screen, according to Collider.

"There's a script that's been written," he confirmed. "But I think there are going to be more issues about the director and Kiefer's schedule on [his new Fox series] Touch."

Sutherland recently dismissed the suggestion that interest in a 24 film is lessening the longer it takes the project to materialise.

"I think audiences still remember the series and have a huge interest in seeing what a film version would be like," he insisted. "People still tell me how much they loved Jack Bauer and I think audiences appreciated that he wasn't a typical hero-type and had many flaws and contradictions."

The BBC is developing a Doctor Who biopic for the show's 50th anniversary.

The long-rumoured project - which has the working title An Adventure in Space and Time - will focus on the creation of the popular sci-fi drama in 1963.

Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss arriving for the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards 2012 at the Royal Festival Hall, London.

Mark Gatiss will script the 90-minute special, which will be produced by the BBC's drama unit in Wales and air on BBC Two in 2013.

"This is the story of how an unlikely set of brilliant people created a true television original," said Gatiss. "And how an actor - William Hartnell - stereotyped in hard-man roles became a hero to millions of children.

"I've wanted to tell this story for more years than I can remember! To make it happen for Doctor Who's 50th birthday is quite simply a dream come true."

Doctor Who executive producers Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner will also oversee the project, which has been compared to BBC Four's 2010 biopic The Road to Coronation Street.

Moffat said: "The story of Doctor Who is the story of television, so it's fitting in the anniversary year that we make our most important journey back in time to see how the TARDIS was launched."

The showrunner previously told Digital Spy that plans were already underway for the show's anniversary on November 23 next year.

A production and transmission schedule for An Adventure in Space and Time will be confirmed next year, along with casting.

Doctor Who is expected to return to BBC One for its seventh series later this month.

Big Brother has picked up further Ofcom complaints from viewers following the surprise cash twist which allowed Conor McIntyre to walk off the show with £50,000 - half the prize fund.

Fans have previously complained about Conor's behaviour towards Deana Uppal on the show, accusing him of aggressive bullying. He was warned by Big Brother for his behaviour, but Conor was not asked to make any apology to Deana.

Since his victory in the White Room task last Friday, which saw Conor bluff his way to winning the cash, 113 complaints have been made to the TV watchdog. Ofcom is currently deciding if the complaints require further investigation.

Digital Spy readers described the show twist, which allowed Conor to exit with the cash, "disgraceful".

Ofcom has had over 1,800 complaints during the current series of Big Brother with the majority involving Conor's verbal threats about Deana.

Big Brother concludes on Monday, August 13 at 9pm on Channel 5.

Luke Scrase, Ashleigh Hughes, Luke Anderson, Adam Kelly, Sara McLean, Scott Mason and Deana Uppal are the housemates still in with a chance of winning the show.

Last year, Paddy Doherty lost the plot with Jedward. Earlier this year, Denise Welch went crazy in the hot tub. So this summer, which famous face will be going bonkers in the Big Brother house?

The list of rumoured 'stars' taking part is the usual mixed bag of wannabes, used-to-bes and who-the-heck-are-theys. A Nolan sister, a bounty hunter, some token WAGS and a Spandau Ballet star-turned-DFS-advertiser are supposed to be entering the famous compound next Wednesday (August 15).

After a rather grim series of Big Brother, which has generated more complaints than a Jim Davidson gig at a race equality event, let's hope the Celeb run is even more light-hearted, silly and irreverent than usual.

The ratings hit in January with the Shannon twins, Frankie Cocozza and Michael Madsen will be hard to top, but if Channel 5 have somehow managed to sort out Dog the Bounty Hunter's visa issues, then anything is possible.

And we're sure there are a couple of rogue names that haven't been leaked yet. So we're still keeping our fingers crossed for Wagner from X Factor, the Chuckle Brothers, Shaggy and Michaela Strachan. We can dream right?

Celebrity Big Brother starts on Wednesday, August 15 at 9pm on Channel 5.

Cross told Variety that the BBC is "very interested" in a miniseries focused on the glamorous serial killer, who appeared in the first two series of the Idris Elba cop drama.

"The only real question would be how many [episodes] and how often we would do it - whether it would be a one-off miniseries or a returning miniseries," he explained.

"The truth is I absolutely adore Alice. I don't like to imagine my life without Alice in some way or other. It's something peculiar, but she's far more clever than me, far more witty than me, far more everything than me. I've got storylines going around in my head like trains."

Cross described the planned project as "a mix between The Talented Mr Ripley and The Last Seduction" and revealed that it will likely be set in Alice's "natural habitat" of America.

However, he confirmed that he does not currently have a plan for the character of John Luther (Elba) to appear in the Alice mini-series.

"I think the first one would probably be a Luther-free zone, because their stories have diverged to a large extent," he said. "But there would be nothing to suggest they couldn't come together again.

"The great thing is they can survive independently of each other. Each of those actors is so kind of secretly magnetic. [Idris is] able to pull that intense relationship out of many, many actors he's worked with, and I think Ruth as Alice would be able to do the same."

Back in March, Cross announced his plans to end Luther as a television show following the upcoming third series, in order to focus on a movie version.

"We've got lots and lots of movie interest, and Idris and I [are being] very careful about what kind of movie we choose to do," he has now revealed. "We've got all kinds of criteria of how and when we should do the movie, and we just need to pick our offer carefully. But I'd love to do it next year."

Many people would say it's impossible for anyone to come up with a good joke about the recent mass shootings. Dane Cook and Jeff Ross have taken heat for trying. But Chris Rock demonstrated on "CBS This Morning" Thursday that it's possible.

"We got to figure out guns," Rock said. "We got to figure out how to stop this gun stuff. We do. Whenever people try to defend their guns, they always say, “I'm protecting my property. I'm protecting my property.” Every time there's a mass shooting, it's a guy who lives with his mother. He owns no property."

It makes the shooter the victim of the joke, doesn't minimize the tragedy, and takes a strong, fresh point of view. Classic Rock.

Somewhere, the Dog Pound woofs: Arsenio Hall's new late-night, syndicated talk show has been sold to stations in more than 85 percent of the country, CBS Television Distribution announced Thursday.

The show has been sold in all of the top 50 markets. In addition to Tribune Broadcasting, CBS Television and local TV stations that signed on early, the show has also been sold to stations from Sinclair Broadcasting, LIN Television Stations, Belo Corp., Cox Enterprises, Media General, Post-Newsweek Stations, Newport Television, Raycom Media and The Grant Group.

Hall's new show will debut in fall 2013. Hall, who recently won NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice,” is best known for hosting the Emmy Award-winning “The Arsenio Hall Show” -- famed for the Dog Pound, doing that Arsenio thing with your arm, and a saxophone peformance by a certain future president. It ran from 1989 to 1994.

The new show will be produced by CBS Television Distribution, in association with Arsenio Hall Communications Ltd. and Octagon Entertainment Productions. Hall and John Ferriter will executive produce.

AMC Networks posted a higher second quarter profit on increased advertising revenue, the company announced Thursday.

The owner of AMC, WE tv, IFC and Sundance Channel said net income from continuing operations rose to $41.4 million, or 57 cents per share, up from $27.1 million, or 39 cents per share, during the three-month period a year earlier. Revenue rose 12 percent to $328 million.

It said the results were driven by consumer demand and renewal deals with distributors, including AT&T, which which it recently reached a new, long-term agreement.

But the company said Dish Networks' decision to cut its neworks will have a "material effect" on its revenues, adjusted operating cash flow, and operating income. The amount AMC loses will depend on "the length of time our networks are not carried on Dish Network’s platform and if, when and on what terms DISH Network and the Company enter into new carriage agreements," AMC said.

AMC contends Dish dropped its network in retaliation for a legal setback in a lawsuit between Dish and AMC's Voom HD. The case goes to trial Sept. 18 in New York State Supreme Court.

Dish denies dropping AMC Networks in retaliation. It says it dropped AMC because its ratings were too low, which AMC contests. AMC Networks also points to the critical and awards show success of its shows, including "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad."

"Last month, the Company received 36 Emmy Award nominations, more than any other basic cable television group," said AMC president and CEO Josh Sapan. "This critical reception helps drive the growth of our business and our financial performance."

As of 10 a.m. ET Thursday, AMC Networks shares were each up .51 percent to $43.56.